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1
Simmer the Tongue Until Tender
120 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Bring the pot to a boil, skim off the grey foam that rises, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 2 hours. The tongue is done when a knife slides into the thickest part with almost no resistance and the meat feels soft all the way through. About 10 minutes before the end, scoop out about 120ml of the cooking broth and set it aside for the sauce.
Keep the simmer gentle, not rolling — a hard boil makes the tongue tough and stringy. If the water drops below the tongue, top it up with boiling water.
Done when: A knife slides into the thickest part with almost no resistance; meat soft all the way through.
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2
Peel and Slice the Tongue
15 Mins
Cool enough to handle, about 50°C (120°F)
Lift the tongue out of the pot with tongs and set it on a board. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, until you can hold it without burning your hands — peel while it is still warm, because the skin sticks hard once it is cold. With a small knife, slit the thick, rough skin at the tip and peel it back in strips towards the root, pulling with your fingers; it should come away in large pieces. Trim the root end, any gristle and the small bones at the base. Slice the tongue across the grain into slices about 1 cm thick.
If a patch of skin will not peel, scrape it off with the back of the knife rather than cutting into the meat. Slice across the grain — slices cut with the grain turn stringy.
Done when: Skin fully removed; slices neat, about 1 cm thick, showing the smooth pink meat inside.
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3
Cook the Rice
20 Mins
Simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
While the tongue simmers, cook the 300g of rinsed rice in a separate pot with 600ml of water and a pinch of salt: bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Take off the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Do not lift the lid while the rice cooks — the steam is what finishes it, and lifting it lets the steam out.
Done when: Rice fluffy and dry; no water left in the pot.
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4
Make the Sauce and Braise the Tongue
40 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Heat the 30g of olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the remaining onion, the 300g of tomatoes, the 100g of red pepper and the 80g of green pepper and the remaining garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the 30g of tomato paste, the 3g of cumin and the 2g of oregano, and cook for 2 minutes until the paste darkens a shade. Add the 150g of sliced mushrooms, the 60g of olives, the 15g of capers and the 120ml of reserved cooking broth, then lay the tongue slices in the sauce in a single layer, spooning sauce over them. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, turning the slices once halfway through, until the sauce has thickened and the tongue is spoon-tender. Stir in the 5g of salt, taste, and adjust.
The sauce should coat the slices, not drown them — if it looks thin, simmer the last 10 minutes with the lid off. Taste before adding the salt: the olives and capers are already salty.
Done when: Sauce thick and glossy; tongue slices spoon-tender; mushrooms soft.
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5
Serve over Rice
5 Mins
Serve hot, about 65°C (150°F)
Spoon the rice onto wide plates, lay the tongue slices over the top, and spoon the sauce, mushrooms and olives over everything. Scatter the 10g of chopped cilantro over the top and serve at once with fried ripe plantain and warm corn tortillas.
Serve the sauce generously — it is meant to run into the rice. Warm the plates first if you can, so the tongue stays hot while it is eaten.
Done when: Rice mounded, tongue slices laid over, sauce spooned over, cilantro scattered.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Lay the tongue slices over the rice, spoon the sauce, mushrooms and olives over everything, and scatter the cilantro last, while the sauce is still bubbling.
Honduras
45m
